Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who can participate?

The Board recognises that workforce capacity will be a significant issue in any response to an emergency animal disease outbreak and has developed a Workforce Capacity Emergency Response policy to ensure all available veterinarians are able to participate if required. All veterinarians currently working in Australia whose registration is not subject to restriction conditions will be able to participate in a biosecurity emergency or natural disaster.

In addition, retired veterinarians with honorary registration and non-practising conditions will be able to complete prescribed CPD to have these conditions varied such that they can be employed and perform restricted acts of veterinary science required in a response to a biosecurity emergency or natural disaster. Similarly, people with veterinary qualifications and previously registered in Australia or New Zealand with either full or specialist registration will also be able to restored to the register to participate in a response as above after completing prescribed CPD.

Prescribed CPD will be determined by the Board in consultation with state and commonwealth government authorities.

2. How do I prepare for participation in an EAD response

If you are interested in participating in an EAD response, further information and training is available. You don’t have to be a large animal veterinarian to get involved as not all emergency responses involve livestock. All vets are encouraged to participate in emergency response training as not all responses are the same.  

To get a better understanding of emergency response structure, roles, and responsibilities, at a minimum, vets are recommended to complete the three foundation modules on EMTrain and Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System (AIIMS) Awareness training.  

a. EMTrain 

NSW DPI offers free introductory emergency response e-learning modules on their emergency management training platform EMTrain. The three foundation modules provide a basic understanding of how an emergency response works in NSW: 

• Working in Agricultural Emergencies (1 structured CPD point) 
• Induction into DPI Response (1 structured CPD) 
• Information and Communications Management (1 structured CPD point) 

Even if you have participated in an emergency response previously, the modules can be used as a refresher on the structure, roles and responsibilities that exist during an emergency response.  The modules are self-paced and can be completed at any time. 

Registration is free, to begin the training enrol via EMTrain  

b. AIIMS Awareness Training

This nationally accredited course provides a basic introduction to the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System^TM (AIIMS). This is the management system that is used nationally for emergency responses. Undertaking this course provides awareness about the “command and control” structure, roles and responsibilities used in an emergency response which helps to facilitate effective and efficient control of incidents. Emergency responses are very different from normal day to day business. Being aware of how emergency responses are managed will help you participate safely and effectively.

This course is currently being offered free through NSW DPI to NSW registered veterinarians that are interested in participating in an EAD response. This course will also be valuable for participation in any emergency response (flood, bushfire, drought etc.). See BoardTalk June 2023 for further information.

c. Other training available

Animal Health Australia (AHA) hosts a variety of online courses related to emergency animal disease (EAD) preparedness, arrangements and biosecurity on its eLearning platform: https://aha.canopihr.com.au/.

Training courses include:

• EAD foundation course
• FMD awareness – Protecting your livelihood and community
• FMD training for veterinarians and paraprofessionals
• African swine fever (ASF) prevention and early detection
• Work health and safety induction in a biosecurity emergency response

For more information: https://animalhealthaustralia.com.au/online-training-courses/

3. What will be my role in an EAD response

For any EAD response, it is essential to have personnel engaged that know the area and are familiar with the local industries and enterprises. Depending on their experience and skillset, veterinarians may be engaged in coordination roles in operational centres or in operational (on the ground) activities. Most veterinarians in an EAD response, are likely to be contracted in a field team undertaking activities such as: 

• Disease surveillance e.g., examining animals and collecting diagnostic samples 
• Vaccination or treatment programs 
• Animal welfare assessments 
• Humane destruction of infected or susceptible animals 
• Biosecurity and quarantining activities

4. Will I be compensated for my participation in an EAD response

There are two ways that veterinary professionals may be engaged in an EAD response: 

• As a government employee - directly engaged by government on either a temporary or casual basis. 
• As a contractor – directly contracted as an individual or as a company (i.e., veterinary practice) by the government for specific services to support the response. 

Both are paid employment positions with differing conditions. A national guidance document on the engagement of veterinarians during an EAD response is available on the DAFF website (https://www.agriculture.gov.au). It provides further detail on employment conditions and pay rates. This document is currently undergoing review and will be updated later this year. 

5. Why should I get involved? 

If a major EAD outbreak were to occur in NSW the impacts on animal welfare, human health, the environment and the economy could be significant. Having as many veterinarians that are prepared and ready to participate in a response will be critical to limiting the size and scale of the impact. Whilst veterinarians are not obligated to be directly involved, EAD responses can provide a new professional challenge. Each response is different and there is always something new to learn. It can also be extremely rewarding to know your contribution has made a difference to the welfare of animals, the community, and in some cases, helped avoid major economic losses for the affected industry. 

Veterinary practices, particularly those in rural communities that service livestock, may suffer a drastic reduction in work during a significant EAD response if movement on and off farms is heavily restricted. Participating in a response may help to offset income losses suffered by the practice but more importantly is also likely to help minimise the impact of the disease, allowing for quicker recovery from the outbreak.